Clean Freak & Drama Queen
I always wondered what my kids' funny quirks and habits would be. I just didn't think that a) they would be established prior to age 1, and b) they would be so weird. But I love their little odd ball tendencies and they totally make these boys who they are.
Deep down, I think we all probably know that these quirks don't just come out of nowhere. We would like to say "Where did he come up with that?!", but in reality, kids probably tend to take after one parent or another in terms of personality traits. And I think it is safe to say that Niall takes after ol' daddy cakes when it comes to the OCD cleaning habits.
Niall doesn't just like to clean... he needs to clean. That picture was from this morning, when we came to the basement to play and Niall didn't want to have anything to do with his toys until he got the chalk crumbs off the floor.
And if you try to do it for him, well, you're in for a tongue lashing and a major meltdown. The other day, Brendan tipped a cup of water over in the family room and before I could get to the kitchen to grab a paper towel, Niall came running in with the dustpan, saying, "It's ok mom, I got this." I don't have the heart (or energy) to tell him that a dustpan is not really a viable option when it comes to liquid messes. No biggie, it just takes a day or so for the brush's sogginess to dry up.
Looking back, I think I should have seen that cleaning was going to be a major hobby of his...
And then there's Brendan. He is probably the happiest baby in the world. I have more pictures of Brendan smiling in any given week than I have of Niall looking at the camera with any semblance of contentment in his entire life. But when Brendan doesn't get his way, it's what I like to call "Baby Mama Drama." He is literally a drama queen and it is so hilarious to watch.
If Niall grabs something from him or if I have to remove a choking hazard such as a broken crayon or chunk of play-doh from his feisty little grasp, he will stop dead in his tracks, let out this dramatic sigh of hopelessness and throw his head against whatever is in closest head-dropping distance. Usually that is the floor.
But sometimes, it is a wall or a door or a bed...
He will just lay there indefinitely, not even hoping to get the toy back-- just to drill the point home and ensure that you are aware just how very upset he is. You can even try to make him laugh in the midst of baby mama drama and he will continue laying there despite the smile on his face...
He has done this at least once a day for the last 3 months or so. It is so cute that I will usually end up laying on the floor with him and pressing my face on the ground up against his. I'd like to think that I'm not a drama queen, and I really can't think of many instances when I am overly-dramatic to this extent... but I guess I do like to be the center of attention sometimes and I'm thinking he probably didn't get this one from Matt. So I will have to take credit for the woe-is-me crocodile tears act. You win some, you lose some right?
Deep down, I think we all probably know that these quirks don't just come out of nowhere. We would like to say "Where did he come up with that?!", but in reality, kids probably tend to take after one parent or another in terms of personality traits. And I think it is safe to say that Niall takes after ol' daddy cakes when it comes to the OCD cleaning habits.
Niall doesn't just like to clean... he needs to clean. That picture was from this morning, when we came to the basement to play and Niall didn't want to have anything to do with his toys until he got the chalk crumbs off the floor.
And if you try to do it for him, well, you're in for a tongue lashing and a major meltdown. The other day, Brendan tipped a cup of water over in the family room and before I could get to the kitchen to grab a paper towel, Niall came running in with the dustpan, saying, "It's ok mom, I got this." I don't have the heart (or energy) to tell him that a dustpan is not really a viable option when it comes to liquid messes. No biggie, it just takes a day or so for the brush's sogginess to dry up.
Looking back, I think I should have seen that cleaning was going to be a major hobby of his...
And then there's Brendan. He is probably the happiest baby in the world. I have more pictures of Brendan smiling in any given week than I have of Niall looking at the camera with any semblance of contentment in his entire life. But when Brendan doesn't get his way, it's what I like to call "Baby Mama Drama." He is literally a drama queen and it is so hilarious to watch.
If Niall grabs something from him or if I have to remove a choking hazard such as a broken crayon or chunk of play-doh from his feisty little grasp, he will stop dead in his tracks, let out this dramatic sigh of hopelessness and throw his head against whatever is in closest head-dropping distance. Usually that is the floor.
But sometimes, it is a wall or a door or a bed...
He will just lay there indefinitely, not even hoping to get the toy back-- just to drill the point home and ensure that you are aware just how very upset he is. You can even try to make him laugh in the midst of baby mama drama and he will continue laying there despite the smile on his face...
He has done this at least once a day for the last 3 months or so. It is so cute that I will usually end up laying on the floor with him and pressing my face on the ground up against his. I'd like to think that I'm not a drama queen, and I really can't think of many instances when I am overly-dramatic to this extent... but I guess I do like to be the center of attention sometimes and I'm thinking he probably didn't get this one from Matt. So I will have to take credit for the woe-is-me crocodile tears act. You win some, you lose some right?
such a sweet post! You are doing what Moms do best...studying her children, learning their bents, strengths and weaknesses. When they come to you for guidance, you will know which way is best for each of them. Keep up the good work, Mom. Blessings, Rosemary
ReplyDelete